Hearthstone Battlegrounds patch 26.6.2: Scrap Scraper almost gets scrapped

Hearthstone Battlegrounds patch 26.6.2 is here to touch up on the previous balance changes. Cariel Roame and King Mukla are back in line after their recent buffs. Meanwhile, Aranna Starseeker requires fewer attacks. Mechs get toned down, dome Quilboar stats are adjusted, plus Elementals, Naga, and Undead have small but significant buffs. Additionally, this is the final “vanilla” week before Quests return on July 11. Patient Scout also rejoins the tavern as we are patiently waiting for this drastic and exciting shift.

Every odd counts in Hearthstone Battlegrounds as well. For example, Battlegrounds Hero selection is your mulligan, and you can win or lose by it. Thus, we shall start by outlining the Hero Power changes before we talk about the minion pool updates.

Let's first address the elephant in the room. Cariel Roame’s previous buff granted her a more than respectable win rate, according to HSReplay. However, patch 26.6.2 halves the stats she adds after a Tavern upgrade. The Conviction Hero Power is now in increments of 1 Attack or Health per Tavern Tier.

Her Hero Power can initially buff three friendly minions up from two. The option to increase the number of targets is confirmed to still work.

King Mukla’s Bananarama receives a somewhat hidden change in Battlegrounds patch 26.6.2. The Hero Power previously gave the +2/+2 Big Banana solely to King Mukla, with the odds being 50%. The other players only got a +1/+1 Banana. Now, all bananas have a 33% chance of being a Big Banana regardless of who receives them. Enjoy the banana split!

Aranna Starseeker wasn’t the most sought-after Battlegrounds Hero despite the recent change. Therefore, her Hero Power now requires 14 minions to attack, which is down from 16. A free minion a turn earlier could be very significant, especially if it occurs at 8 Gold, where you could level to Tavern Tier 4.

The Curator’s Menagerist gets a flat stat buff. The Amalgam now starts at 2/2 and is still Venomous and has all minion types.

The Armor reflects the new changes, with King Mukla at 10 and Aranna Starseeker and The Curator at 15. Cariel Roame’s Armor stands at 12 in higher ranked lobbies. Meanwhile, lower ranked lobbies have her at 10 Armor.

Mechs have been dominating the last meta, therefore a nerf was imminent. Scrap Scraper now triggers its effect at the end of every two turns. With the recent Divine Shield influx, Cyborg Drake now grants 6 Attack to his fellows instead of 8. Cogwork Copter is now a 1/1, but his handbuff effect is left untouched.

Prickly Piper and Bongo Bopper have their stats reduced by two, but they still carry the same strong effects. Bannerboar is removed from the minion pool, reducing the Quilboar Blood Gems’ overall synergy.

Nagas have been recently relying on an early Deep Blue Crooner and Zesty Shaker. And since the developers are trying to shake this meta with some Naga buffs, Tidemistress Athissa now affects four friendly Nagas. Additionally, Eventide Brute now gets a minor stat increase.

By contrast, the Murloc Bream Counter also gets an effect buff. It now gains +3/+3 per Murloc played while also starting as a 5/5. 

Next, Soulsplitter is back to Tier 4 where his besties reside. These are Anub’arak, Nerubian King, and Plagued Tidewalker.

Recycling Wraith is down to Tier 3, boosting your chances of finding it in the minion pool. Next, the Elemental becomes subpar as a standalone minion, with its body now down to 4/2. Moreover, despite being a 5/2, Hungry Snapjaw is no Rabid Saurolisk.

We’ve already discussed the Bannerboar removal alongside the Quilboar nerfs. The developers have sweetened the deal by adding Patient Scout back to the game.

Hearthstone patch 26.6.2 marks the last “vanilla” patch before Quests return on July 11. This update is just around the corner. Stay tuned to our Hearthstone news and guides section to be the first to know all about it.

Make sure to visit esports.gg for all the latest esports news as well. See you next time in Bob’s Tavern!